Thirumoolar says Lord Siva came down from His elevated status out of His kindness towards jivatmas. His drodhana sakthi gets rid of anavam, said R. Narayanan in a discourse. There are three malams or impurities which keep us from getting close to God. These are anavam (ego), kanmam (karma) and maya (illusion). Once Lord Siva’s drodhana sakthi has vanquished our ego, it then becomes arul sakthi, that is the power that confers blessings on us. This arul sakthi energises us spiritually.
Thirumoolar records his experience of God realisation in his Thirumandiram. The 112th verse of Thirumandriam, which talks of Lord Siva descending to save us, gives us in a nutshell the essence of the Saiva Agamas. Saiva Siddhanta has three significant concepts, pasu, pathi and paasam. Pasu refers to the atma; pasam are all those things that bind the atma and keep it from realising Pathi, that is Lord Siva. An atma is like a crystal which reflects whatever colour it comes in contact with. When the atma is in the grip of paasam, it is in a state of total bondage. When the jiva has realised Lord Siva, then it is in a state of total dedication to Him. This reminds one of the Thirukkural verse which says that the face is like a mirror reflecting one’s thoughts. If we have wicked thoughts, the face gives us away; if we have good thoughts, again the face reveals this.
Likewise, the atma which seeks worldly things is caught in samara; an atma that has become aware of Siva is on the path to liberation. Pasu, pathi and pasam are all timeless, says Thirumoolar. Every believer knows that God is without beginning or end. But not many know that pasu and paasam are also timeless. Pasu has a tendency to move towards Siva. But paasam prevents it from doing so.